Common Problem

[Simborg]

Here's a problem that comes up often. You are black and you have a great roll...6-1. Do you make your bar point or your 5 point?





As Snowie shows you below, the answer is to make your 5 point, and it would be a major blunder to make the bar.

When there's one checker back, lots of players think you need to make the bar to keep your opponent from running. There are several reasons this is wrong thinking. First, if you don't make the bar, the only number he can really run with is 6-5. Anything else, and you're still shooting at him. It is far better to have the 5 point made as you are likely to get into some kind of hitting situation before the game is over, and the 5 point is the most valuable point you can make.

Lastly, if you make the bar, you don't have many builders to make the 5 point, but if you make the 5 point, you still have many builders to make bar later.